1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a compression cycle apparatus for deriving work from the expansion of a heated fluid and, more specifically, a compression cycle apparatus having increased efficiencies associated with greater conversion of a fluid from a gas to a liquid, and diversion of the resulting liquid away from the prior art condensation system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Compression cycle apparatus are well known in the art, such apparatus are used to convert a fluid, such as water, from a liquid to a gas. Thereafter the gas is used to apply pressure to a piston or turbine to convert the pressure associated with the gas into work. After applying pressure to the piston or turbine, the gas is pressurized and/or cooled to convert the fluid back into a liquid. The fluid is thereafter heated to convert the fluid to a gas so the process may be repeated.
A drawback associated with such a prior art compression cycle apparatus, is the efficiency associated with conversion of the heat energy contained within the fluid into work. Although a portion of the heat energy contained within the fluid is converted into work as the fluid expands, the steam exiting prior art motors still contains a substantial amount of energy, from which it would be desirable to obtain additional work.
Another drawback associated with such prior art systems is the energy required to condense the exhaust gas from a gas back into a liquid. Still another drawback associated with prior art systems is unnecessary cooling of exhaust liquid. In prior art compression cycle apparatus, a portion of the gas in contact with cooler parts of the apparatus will often condense into a liquid. This exhaust liquid is cycled, along with the exhaust gas, through the prior art condenser for cooling. As the liquid cycles through the prior art condenser, the liquid is cooled, thereby requiring an additional amount of heat energy to raise the temperature back to the boiling point of the fluid at a later point in the cycle. Additionally, as prior art condensers necessarily extract additional heat energy from the liquid, the energy extraction from the exhaust gas is thereby compromised, requiring a larger prior art condenser to compensate for the unnecessary extraction of additional heat energy from the liquid. Accordingly, all of the energy associated with cooling the exhaust liquid beyond its boiling point is wasted, inasmuch as additional energy will be required at a later point in the compression cycle to raise the temperature of the fluid back to its boiling point. It would, therefore, be desirable to not only more efficiently convert the heat energy associated with the exhaust gas into work, but also to avoid the unnecessary cooling and reheating of the exhaust liquid. The difficulties encountered in the prior art discussed hereinabove are substantially eliminated by the present invention.
In an advantage provided by this invention, a compression cycle apparatus is provided for increasing the efficiency with which energy is converted into work.
Advantageously, this invention increases the efficiency of the condensation process by limiting cooling of exhaust liquid.
Advantageously, this invention increases the efficiency of the condensation process by increasing the temperature of a liquid prior to its conversion to a gas.
Advantageously, this invention provides for the use of a smaller prior art condenser, thereby reducing the cost, weight and maintenance associated with a larger condenser.
Advantageously, in the preferred example of this invention, a condensation apparatus is provided, comprising a fluid, means for changing the fluid from a liquid to a pressurized gas, means for condensing a portion of the pressurized fluid to a first quantity of liquid, and means for deriving work from the pressurized gas as the pressurized gas condenses to the first quantity of the liquid. In the preferred embodiment, the condensation apparatus provides a condenser and means for directing gas from the condensing means to the condenser. Additionally, means are provided for directing the first quantity of the liquid from the condensing means, away from the condenser.